Dabke is a diasporic dance of the Levant region (Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and parts of Turkey and Egypt).
Stretching across all these regions means that it's form shapshifts across different cultures.
As artists and art attendants alike, we know the power of dance as cultural markers of resistance against violent remnants of (settler) colonialism. Organizations like Camps Breakerz Crew (@campsbreakerz) in Palestine, or Congo Street Breaking Art (@congostreetbreakingart) in Congo use dance as a tool to foster hope among the youth in their communities. In Palestine, it has spread to become global symbol of Palestinian cultural identity and resistance against Israeli occupation.
In this workshop, we will learn a medley of dabke that I learnt through a Syrian person and a Palestinian friend. As I am a guest to the culture, I welcome any input from people's from the Levant region. Bring your danke, and let's dance together!
Come with:
- a respect for the Palestinian struggle and the struggle of previously colonized peoples
- an open heart
- the will to dance together!
* P.S. the workshop will range in various levels of intensity. If at any point you need to step out or take a break, gently step out of it or of signal with a raised arm - that way the room will know what's up.
** The Palestinian dabke having is listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Read more about that here:
https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/dabkeh-traditional-dance-in-palestine-01998
